Pulsed Nd:YAG laser welding of cardiac pacemaker batteries with reduced heat input
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
The effects of Nd:YAG laser beam welding process parameters on the resulting heat input in 304L stainless steel cardiac pacemaker batteries have been studied. By careful selection of process parameters, the results can be used to reduce temperatures near glass-to-metal seals and assure hermeticity in laser beam welding of high reliability components. Three designed response surface experiments were used to compare welding performance with lenses of varying focal lengths. The measured peak temperatures at the glass-to-metal seals varied from 65 to 140 C (149 to 284 F) and depended strongly on the levels of the experimental factors. It was found that welds of equivalent size can be made with significantly reduced temperatures. The reduction in battery temperatures has been attributed to an increase in the melting efficiency. This increase is thought to be due primarily to increased travel speeds, which were facilitated by high peak powers and low pulse energies. For longer focal length lenses, weld fusion zone widths were found to be greater even without a corresponding increase in the size of the weld. It was also found that increases in laser beam irradiance either by higher peak powers or smaller spot sizes created deeper and larger welds. These gains were attributed to an increase in the laser energy transfer efficiency.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratory
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 471139
- Journal Information:
- Welding Journal, Journal Name: Welding Journal Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 76; ISSN 0043-2296; ISSN WEJUA3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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